According to the survey conducted by the British Research Center New Economic Foundation Costa Rica was recognized as the happiest country in the world in 2009. In the sphere of international tourism including medical tourism Costa Rica is famous for its unique nature and ecology. This country hosts a lot of resorts with therapeutic thermal waters. Summer in Costa Rica lasts 365 days a year and annual temperature is +21 to +32 С.

In the context of medical tourism, health care system of Costa Rica is presented by private health centres which are widely known for their high quality medical services, highly skilled doctors, up-to-date equipment, and attractive prices. Therefore annually this country is visited by thousands of Americans, Canadians, Europeans coming to obtain medical services in the sphere of plastic and reconstructive surgery, aesthetic dentistry, stem cell therapy.

You can save considerably on service prices. Dental services in Costa Rica are up to 50% cheaper than in the USA, Canada, and Western Europe; plastic surgery in Costa Rica is approximately 75% cheaper than in the US, up to 50-60% cheaper than in Canada and Western Europe, up to 40% cheaper than in Mexico and approximately 10-15% cheaper than in Argentina.

Recommended time for treatment: all year round.

Clinics:

Tropical forests and mountains, waterfalls and volcanoes, the purest beaches and coral reefs, exotic flora and fauna — all of these come together in Costa Rica, which has become a true Paradise for travellers, enthusiasts of unconventional recreation and diving. Pristine virgin nature is wonderfully combined with the developed resort infrastructure. It is in Costa Rica where you can attend luxury Spa treatments, improve immunity and health, and bask in peace and quiet of the wild sandy beaches.

The most renowned resort area of the country is Guanacaste. It is famed for the uniquely clean and beautiful beaches. The chain of volcanoes forming the eastern borders of Guanacaste erupt mud streams. These muds posses high therapeutic qualities and are therefore widely used for procedures in local Spa centres. Las Hornillas geyser and Los Azufrales hot springs are also known to produce a healthful effect, their waters being used for water procedures. The air in the vicinity of the Irazú volcano is enriched with healing vapours. The locals say, you should not stay here for more than an hour, but this time is just enough for patients with respiratory problems. Even a 30-40 minute stay near the volcano will enable them to breathe in a chestful with comfort.

Costa Rica is truly an ideal place for retreat and rest. All over the country there are Spa centres offering their visitors extraordinary cosmetological, restorative, and general conditioning procedures. Key Spa resorts are located in Jaco, Manuel Antonio, Puerto Viejo, Cocos Island, and Nicoya Peninsula. Here you will be offered a variety of exotic procedures applying organic ingredients, the gifts of nature. Many of the Costa Rican Spa centres offer their guests to undergo the procedures just on the personal terraces with the view on the ocean or tropical forest, so that in the meantime they could relax and enjoy the singing of birds, the whisper of waves, or the sunset. Each procedure room is truly a tropical garden, where the patient instantly forgets all problems and cares. There is an abundance of different cosmetological programmes — from mild relaxing massage, Shiatsu massage, head massage to coconut energy scrubs, coffee scrubs with adding spices, sand-based scrubs, wrappings using aloe, honey, flax, and other natural components.

After the rest on isolated wild beaches of Costa Rica, having delighted in the virgin exotic nature and visited local picturesque Spa centres, you will beam with health and vigour all the year round.

Spa and Sanatoriums:

Hotels:

Olla de carne (soup with large hunks of beef and vegetables), sopa de mondongo (soup with tripe and vegetables), arroz con carne (rice with beef), sopa negra (black bean soup), picadillo (stewed meat with vegetables), arroz con pollo (rice with chicken), tamales (rice stuffing with pieces of meat in banana leaf), huevos revueltos (omelette). La Choza de Laurel is one of the most famous restaurants of "typical foods" in Central America, so much for the quality in its plates, like for the excellent service.Restaurant menu offers a wide range of national and international dishes (Liberia).